Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on January 2011

©2010 NHK

The idea of taking a TV drama and re-editing it into a feature film would be the kiss of death for most projects, so it’s surprising that Sono Machi no Kodomo turned out as well as it did. Judged solely as a feature film, however, it’s decidedly average. Originally airing on NHK last January, the film opens with images from the aftermath of the 1995 Kobe earthquake. The narrative begins when young businessman Yuji (Mirai Moriyama) impulsively jumps off a shinkansen in Shin-Kobe station on the eve of the quake’s 15th anniversary. He meets the leggy Mika (AV star Erika Sato), a 20-something who’s come to Kobe to attend a memorial ceremony. The duo spends the entire night walking and talking. It turns out that both were youngsters living in Kobe during the quake, and they share their distressing memories and other aspects of their lives. While Moriyama and Sato have a nice chemistry, the dialog often seems forced and precious. The buildup to the baring of emotional scars also seems a bit obvious, but overall, it’s watchable and even somewhat effective. English title: This Town’s Children. (83 min)